The topic of menstruation itself is a very controversial one since man has started thinking beyond all superstitions or blind beliefs. Although, ignoring the scriptures of a dozen religions is worthless as they cannot be all wrong. Below are ten main points why women were not permitted on the holy grounds or in worshipping God while on menses.

1)   Mood Swings

A menstruating woman, as we all know has a zillion mood swings. Anything and everything can trigger her to get angry or irate her. The hormonal activities may make the woman to behave out of her normal ways, were one reason that they were prohibited in a holy place. Also, the PMS could hinder normal thought process to cause annoyance which might result in a unpredictably distasteful behaviour against the code of sacred places.

2)      Physical ailments

Menstruation brings with it unwarranted pains all over the body. For some it might be a subtle headache, but for others it can be the serious cases of vomiting, backache, and abdominal pain, loss of appetite, spasms and constipation. During these times, it is better to stay indoors rather than doing the impossible.

3)      Lack of concentration

Due to the above two reasons, women were always involved in distractive thoughts and aches that needed them to rest, massage or immediately have relieving concoctions. Owing to the reasons that significantly added to the lack of concentration, worshipping or dedicating one’s whole mind and body for God was simply out of the question.

4)      Emergencies

During menstruation, women tend to have many emergencies. They may require lying down in different positions at the immediate; they might collapse, vomit or even need to visit the loo for necessary reasons. To avoid the disruption of godly worship due to the plausible emergencies, women were not allowed on sacred grounds.

5)      Soiled clothes

In the ancient times, when scriptures were written there were very few options to help dispose the menstrual blood or simply put, the option of tampons or sanitary napkins. Hence, the movement during holy rituals was a reason to spot the terrible leaking and future embarrassment along with disgust owing to the unclean reasons. The best to avoid it was, to take rest and stay at home.

6)      Smell

Menstrual blood comes along with the scraping of dispatched or dead ovum along the uterine walls. The blood is a sort of waste blood and contains the hormones that let off a stale smell due to the undue heating in the genital area during the time. The smell if unchecked in due time can cause even nausea to some people. As temple rituals required the women to be present for longer hours, this was also a strong reason to judge it out.

7)      Irritations

Due to all of the above reasons, a series of irritations sprout forth at the time of menstruations due to mood swings, blood over flow, pains, nausea and fear of embarrassment. Also at the time Godly rituals and its longer duration can irritate as well as irate, both the women and the people around due to her abnormal behaviour.

8)      Blood borne germs spread

Menstruation is the time that was believed by ancient scriptures and people to be kept off from a woman and sexual intercourse with her to prevent germs that commute via blood. This was because; menstrual blood itself was considered waste blood and disease prone.

9)      Impure Body

All secretions of the body were to an extent considered impure by all scriptures. In Christianity and Islam, Old Testament states how menstrual intercourse can be a serious reason of transferring the impurity of a women’s body via her blood into the man. Also, during holy rituals, the moving around can cause the same germs to be leaked around cause the diseases.

10)   Time to rest

A woman’s duty had always been confined to the extensive work of the kitchen walls, bedroom, washing clothes, cleaning the house and gardening. All of this was work that needed hard work without fail and that too, every day of the week and month. Hence, menstruation was considered a time to rest for her even by the God!

 

The logicality of the points may not suffice our mind today, but to an extent, the reasons account to a significant enough truth whether we choose to believe or not. On a personal note, it is but true to almost 90% to me, as I truly comprehend the agony of menstruation. And, I personally believe that this is the time that God will specially take care of me as a bonus for bearing through, hence the reverse effect is agreeable on my behalf with all certainty.

Ten Reasons why women should not worship or enter holy places during menstruation by Satyakam